Got a call last week to go out to a new oil battery field office and terminate the installed cables. They purchased an RTM. The prints shows each outlet to be two cables one for voice and one for data, there is only one cable in the outlets. They asked us to add a second cable. There is insulation between the floor joist and the bottom is double drywalled for fire rating. The outlets upstairs have a 3/4 pipe stub with the one cable in it. The data cables were installed at the factory, so they are between the fllor jiosts. My thoughts were to get one of those long flexable bits and try to drill down, find the hole make it bigger pull the cable up and then fire caulk. Anyone with a different idea? Thanks

Uh, what's an RTM?

Ready to Move
A house or office built in a factory or yard

"Pre-fab" in other words. The manufacturer needs to acquaint themselves with 21st century wiring standards, like 568 and 570.

This is something I would have to see to be able to give advice on. I have no idea what you are talking about.

-Hal

Are you talking about a two story building? If so I'd say you're screwed, if not just take a long bit and drill through and caulk.

If you could pull the cable out leaving a pull string behind. Then pull it back in with a second cable installed it might work if the cable is (loose) not stapled or ty-wrapped inside the walls. I would do it this way a very simple solution.
https://www.contact-directconnect.com/Smart-Jack.jpg

So the Smart Jack recommends running POTS lines and 10/100 Base-T on the same cable...I bet the backboard looks mighty purty too. That's right a backboard isn't recommended, better if you just "splice and dice". :rofl:

I prefer Cat 5e and above.

UGH. Not this again!

Good luck with this one.

To do it this way it must be terminated on bix and this is usually wall mounted on a 3/4 inch plywood back board near the demarcation point.
This method would work good in a oil field mobile field office if you can't add more wire. This method is clean, neat , no splicing or dice-ing and I have my house done this way since 1999 it works great no problems yet. I use your standard telephone and plug all my computors in with a standard patch cord. The old telephone phone tech who hooked up my DSL said he never seen it done this way before , once I explained everything to him he like it and I am sure his house is now done the smart way...This Cabling Design Techology was first developed in 1976. What is great about this method it weeds out the computer geeks and phone tech wanabee's that should leave the cabling to a pro.
IBDN/CDT Certified for whats comming next !
https://www.associatedtelephone.com/file_library/products/bixcross.pdf

The OLD School Method:
This pile of crap works ok, but was installed by computer geeks and a phone tech wanabee. It appears like a fire hazard and should be re-done?
This picture might not be suitable for all viewers https://www.contact-directconnect.com/The%20Other%20Cabling%20Contractors/DSCF0659.JPG !

Not enough typos on that website...

I didn't see any
https://www.associatedtelephone.com/file_library/products/bixcross.pdf

I guess its too late to put the office back on the doilies and sent it back to the plant and have them wire it the way the prints showed?

I have used the Greenlee long bits a few times and find they don't always come out where you want them to.

The split cable idea is really not applicable here for the simple reason the OP said he was asked to install a second cable. When Wayne asked for other ideas I believe he was asking about ideas to do just that...install a second cable. Let's try to help him with that.

I have worked on buildings like this that were never wired except for power to begin with. Single story isn't so bad. Drill a hole in the first floor and mount a surface jack at baseboard height. I say this because getting into the walls is going to be tough and using the existing outlet and trying to enlarge the hole with result in the existing wire being damaged. Wiring the second floor...That's a tough one.

Other than opening the 1st floor wall floor-to-ceiling rotsa-ruck! Opening the wall isn't so bad IF you clear it with the customer, AND have a reliable, qualified sheetrock man to fix it, and even show you how a couple of times so that it can be repaired easily.

We spent the day on site. We fished twine between outlets on the main floor and the ceiling space in the basement. Had to pull base board back in a few places. Drilled down beside the modual furniture in some places. Used long bit to drill down and 3" hole saw to drill holes in the basement ceiling. Going back on Friday to finish. Have to fire caulk holes. Site manager said do what ever it takes. There was no splitting cables. Free standing rack in center of room telephone on the wall.